My Play Pretend
by sophieilovekurthummel
Summary: Avengers highschool AU: With dealing with his dad and feeling of loneliness, 16 year old Tony Stark is depressed. To people who don't know him he is just a selfish, arrogant rich kid but really he is kind, caring and a genius. Soon a newly formed group of people will come to realise this and take him in with welcoming arms. Join Tony Stark's journey in pursuit of happiness.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Just trying out a new story! Dont know how i feel but hahah hope you enjoy it.**

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EPILOGUE:

" _You're hopeless, boy!"_

The cold winter breeze hit Tony's face and made the stinging of his bruising cheek more alive as he walked a fast pace down the empty street.

" _A disgrace to the family name!"_

He pulled his jacket tighter around himself like a shield and slid a nervous glance to the side as his father's voice replayed in his head.

" _I am embarrassed to call you my son."_

It was so clear and loud in his mind and acts as though a virus in the system that is his brain. Showing up without his want or control, breaking him from the inside and tainting him only the slightest bit on the outside.

" _You would be nothing to Steve Rogers."_

The sound of muffled music hit his ears and his surroundings finally caught his attention. By the look of things he had reached his destination, with stingy cars parked on an uphill drive way, with already tipsy teens falling out of the vehicles and laughing obnoxiously, with the blaring music that seemed to vibrate the house.

" _I wish you were more like_ _ **him**_ _."_

Tony's father's voice is interrupted by the door of the house being thrown open and the music from inside invading every thought that was originally there in his mind. A drunken jock cheers loudly at him as a greeting and pulls him in, though his cheer is barely heard over the music.

As soon as Tony is pulled in he is left alone, looking around he took in the atmosphere of the space. High schoolers dancing and jumping to the music, high as fuck girls hanging off boys who laugh and make sure their friends are seeing the show, kids smoking, taking drugs and chucking down vodka shots. It's a fun house of teenagers losing self-control and thought.

The next 2 hours for Tony is a montage of doing shots, getting high and making out with whomever, boy or girl.

" _High all the time_

 _To keep you off my mind_

 _Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh_

 _High all the time_

 _To keep you off my mind_

 _Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh"_

The music takes over, flowing through his body and drowning out thoughts away. He's surrounded by bodies he's too dazed to recognise, everything morphs into slow motion and Tony is in a daze. Suddenly he is feeling numb, non-existent. He feels as though he is in another world, feels detached and feels inhuman. Maybe he had become a robot? Maybe he had used up all his emotions and now is empty forever. Tony's dancing stilled and he found himself staring off into nothingness, those around him still dancing but still in slow motion and him seeming more invisible than before.

" _Staying in my play pretend_

 _Where the fun, ain't got no end_

 _Staying in my play pretend"_

He made his way through the maze of bodies, the numbness becoming captain in flight of his body and the moan of the song seeming to fit perfectly with the feeling of nothingness that rang in his brain and ears. Tony situated himself onto a nearly too soft, blue couch, opposite side to where two girls were going at it. Feeling light headed, Tony felt the unexpected appearance of tears running down his slightly coloured cheeks as he sunk down low and twisted a hand through his already messy hair with the arm resting on the armrest of the couch.

" _Can't go home alone again_

 _Need someone to numb the pain_

 _Ooh"_

He felt his body shake as more tears ran a fast pace down to his chin. Emotions made an epic comeback and hit Tony like a truck as the sudden feeling of loneliness and self-hatred were stirred together to create the flawless recipe of depression. The hum of the song making the sound that depression would make if it were possible.

As the song came to a close, humming slowly fading off into a quiet buzzing, Tony Stark became a ghost as crazed teens went on to continue their partying and intimate affection with one another.

And after a short time of forgetting Tony remembered.

" _You're hopeless, boy!"_

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 **tell me what you think! next chapter the other avengers get introduced hahah merry christmas!**

 **Thankyou!**

 **~Sophie-Jo~ xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2 i hope you like it! I hope to make it better in the next chapters, im just trying to introduce them.**

 **I do not own the avengers im not ready for that responsibility.**

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A lot of students feared Natasha Romanoff. Natasha walked through the school hallways with confidence and didn't put up with anyone's shit. She knew what she wanted and knew how to get it and to some people that was pretty intimidating.

Natasha wasn't anything like the other students though. She had experienced so many things that most people in that hell hole of a school couldn't ever imagine. Natasha was secretly a trained agent working for an organisation called s.h.i.e.l.d, along with her best friend Clint and just recently Steve Rogers (though Steve was still in training). Along with going to school to learn, their leader, Coulson, was giving them mini assignments within the place. Coulson was like a father to Natasha and Clint, he took them into his home when they had nowhere to go and gave them the care and support they needed.

Steve joined s.h.i.e.l.d after being awoken from 70 years of sleep. He remained a 17 year old, but with the mindset of a 17 year old from the 1940s. After waking up Steve was taken in by his friend Sam Wilson's family and has been slowly becoming more comfortable in this place and time. He was asked by Coulson if he still wanted to keep the role of Captain America and work for s.h.i.e.l.d and Steve said yes.

At this present time Natasha was on her way to her weekly detention, she had beaten up a couple of bullies who were trying to steal another kid's money, when she ran into another body. The kid's science books littered the floor at their feet and she heard a sigh of frustration. Rolling her eyes she bent down and helped him pick up his books, standing up with the books still in her hand she finally took a look at the kids face. It was the famous Tony Stark.

Although she had never spoken to Tony before she had heard a lot of stuff about him, he was arrogant, cocky, self-obsessed, a smart ass rich kid who paraded his money around and bragged about his fame. She had heard all the rumours of all the crap he has done, all the parties, the girls and even some guys, from all the stuff she had heard he seemed to be the type of person she hated the most.

Natasha handed back his book with a blank expression and after fixing his own pile he had picked up he carefully collected her ones and placed them neatly on the large pile he cradled in his hand. "Thanks." Tony said quietly.

Natasha didn't reply and was about to continue her walk to detention when she noticed the bruise on his cheek. Raising one eyebrow at him, she spoke up for the first time, "must have been a crazy night." She said with slight bitterness.

Tony looked up in confusion, was she at the party? When he realised she was looking at the bruise, the way she had commented on it was as though she thought he had gotten it by partying and being stupid. Well at least he didn't have to make up an excuse on the spot, "Ha, yeah." He replied not looking her in the eye.

Natasha took note on how something flashed in his features and how he avoided looking at her in the eye and frowned, he was lying. She stared at him for a bit before giving him one nod and walking away without another word.

Tony felt like she could read him like a book as he was frozen under her stare. His shoulders visibly slumped as soon as she walked away, that was close.

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"Where have you been?" Clint asked with his mouth full, it came out more like "Wur huv yo bin?"

Luckily Natasha understood mouth full of food language, "detention." She replied simply as she sat down and stole a chip from Clint's tray. "I ran into that Stark kid." Natasha told her small group of friends seated around the lunch table.

Bruce perked up at the name, Steve frowned in confusion not knowing Howard Stark had a kid, and Sam chuckled.

"Oh yeah and what was that like?" Sam asked in amusement, he knew all about the cockiness that was the kid of Howard Stark.

"He had a bruise on his cheek." Natasha replied casually, taking a gulp of Clint's drink.

Bruce frowned in concern, "was he okay?"

Natasha turned to Bruce in confusion, he was talking as if he and tony were close and he was worried. It was as if he knew something…

"Probs from partying, actually you know what he was probably too drunk to remember." Sam snickered and shook his head.

Natasha looked over at Bruce to check out his reaction, he was frowning at the table.

"I gotta go, I just remembered something." Bruce suddenly said standing up and leaving, Natasha frowned but everyone else didn't think anything of it.

"Wait Howard Stark has a son?" Steve asked softly.

"Yeah and he's a dick head so don't seek him out, Stevie" Clint said as he pointed at Steve with a chip.

"You're lucky you haven't run into him yet." Sam assured him with a smile.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom, and then I'm going to class." Natasha told them abruptly as she stood.

Clint waved her goodbye with a chip and Steve and Sam both said goodbye in unison as she walked away.

She was really on the search for Bruce.

Stepping out into the hallway she saw him almost instantly, he was standing next to Tony Stark who was placing his books one by one into his locker slowly as he listened to Bruce. Natasha slowly walked closer but made sure they didn't notice her as she tried to eavesdrop.

"You know you could always just text me and meet me somewhere if you need an escape." Bruce said softly.

Tony froze but then slowly continued placing the book inside, shaking his head. "Its fine brucie, everything is fine."

"Obviously everything is not fine!" Bruce exclaimed sounding frustrated, "Someone keeps hurting you! You come with new bruises nearly every day and to be honest I feel like it's getting worse."

"I'm just clumsy, I fall a lot! Especially when I'm drunk and honestly when am I not drunk?" Tony visibly tried to lighten the mood with a soft laugh, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Bruce simply gave Tony a look; he knew it was all a lie. "Tony, you know that I know it's all just a bunch of rumours."

Tony gave up on smiling and he simply looked down at the hand fiddling with the end of his jacket, "Please just leave it alone."

That's when Natasha chose to stop spying and make an entrance, "Hey Bruce, I'm thinking of inviting everyone to mine and Clint's this arvo, wanna come?" She questioned casually, then turned to Tony, "Tony can come too if he wants"

Tony seeming suddenly shy crossed his arms over himself protectively; she frowned at the unexpected reaction. Bruce nodded, "Tony and I will come."

Tony went to open his mouth to protest but Natasha spoke up before he could, "Awesome! The more the merrier!"

Bruce was suddenly giving her a suspicious look, wondering why she was suddenly caring about Tony Stark's existence.

"Well I got to go to Mr Coulson's office but I guess I'll see you then.." Tony said awkwardly.

Along with being a s.h.i.e.l.d agent, Coulson also went undercover as the school's Councillor, Natasha had a feeling Tony had no clue that Coulson was pretty much her dad.

As soon as Tony disappeared down the hall, Bruce turned to face Natasha with an interrogating look. "What are you up to? Why are you all about Tony today?" He questioned.

"I saw the bruise and I know it isn't from any party and so now I'm curious." She replied honestly, she was too confident in herself to be ashamed at all and lie. "I never thought he was your type of person to befriend though Bruce." Natasha then said, "Though you keep a lot of things to yourself."

"What do you mean type of person? You know nothing about Tony; you don't know what type of person he is." Bruce glared at her, he was annoyed at her and Bruce barely got annoyed ever.

"You're right, I've never spoken to the kid. But wasn't he the one who said he was basically drunk all the time?" She said back calmly but with a raise of an eyebrow. She knew that that wasn't true but she was searching for some for facts from Bruce.

"You were eavesdropping? And I thought you were good at reading people? That whole thing about how Tony parties all the time is a complete lie." Bruce said frustrated, before walking off to his next class. Natasha chased after him.

"I'm sorry, I've made a mistake. I of all people should know not to judge someone on what others say." She told the other.

"He's not the person everyone says he is." Bruce replied simply before leaving her and entering his next class. Natasha stood frozen for a few minutes deep in thought before walking to her own class.

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Halfway through the lesson there was a knock on the door, the teacher froze halfway through his lecture and opened the door to let in the late student. It was none other than Tony Stark. Natasha sat up slightly higher in surprise, how long has he been in her class? Now that she had become curious about the kid he seemed to be everywhere.

"Know that just because you're the famous Tony Stark, doesn't mean I'm going to let you get away with turning up late to class all the time, Mr Stark." The teacher grumbled.

"Sure thing Mr. G" Tony replied easily, sitting right at the back. Mr Gerard rolled his eyes at the nickname and continued on with the lesson.

"I want you all into pairs, in your pairs I want a presentation on an aspect of change using inspiration from a text of your own, do not pick one we already did in class. Along with the presentation I want an essay on change from each student inspired by a text that we _did_ do in class. Now go figure out who your partner will be and spend the rest of the lesson thinking up ideas." And with that the teacher went back to marking previous tests on his desk.

Natasha stood and instantly went to Tony, "You're my partner." She said straight out and sat in the spare seat next to him.

"Do I even get a say?" He asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

"Nope. I say we use the movie 'Up' as our inspiration." Natasha went straight into business.

"Up? I didn't see you as the animation type."

"You don't know me." Natasha fought back, thinking of her previous conversation with Bruce.

"Yeah but everyone seems to know me." Tony said with a hint of sarcasm.

Natasha frowned at him but ignored the statement, "Up represents change by showing the old man moving on from the passing of his wife after years of keeping everything the same in their house and starting a new adventure for himself with his new home and new friends."

"Honestly I think Megamind represents change just as good as 'Up'." Tony replied just trying to be a pain. "It shows the change of personality in and outsiders view on Megamind. He's not as evil as everyone thought."

Sounds familiar… Natasha thought, she suddenly felt herself get even more curious about Tony.

"Why did you go see Mr Coulson?" She changed the subject abruptly.

"Damn you're nosey as fuck!" Tony gave her a look, "Some teacher told him about the bruise, apparently they're "Worried" about me. Not that it was any of your business."

"How did you get the bruise?" She pushed again, not even bothering being subtle.

"Crazy night, remember?" Tony sent her a mock grin.

"You're a terrible liar."

"And you suck at normal conversations." Tony fought back defensively, "Jesus Christ, I've never spoken to you before what's with the personal questions."

"Are you still coming over this arvo?" She asked ignoring his question.

"I can't make it, the dad wants me home." Tony suddenly seemed closed off, as though he didn't want to talk anymore and so she left it.

It was silent between them for a bit before he spoke again, "Thanks for the invite but."

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 **i hope this was okay! Im planning on making it better later on, trust me! and i have so many ideas! ahhh! Tony and Natasha are my favorite characters so prepare for a whole bunch of them hahaha Review tell me what you think and tell me what i need to improve.**

 **Thanksss!**

 **~Sophie-Jo~ xoxox**


	3. Chapter 3

**heeey! new chapter! tell me what you think!**

 **hope you like it**

 **and im not cool enough to own the avengers**

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I thought Tony was coming?" Bruce spoke softly as the group of friends sat on the table placed outside in Natasha and Clint's backyard.

"Tony? As in Tony _Stark_? …Did I miss something?" Sam questioned in confusion, giving Bruce and Natasha a look as though they were crazy.

"Tony couldn't make it." Natasha replied simply, taking a cookie from the plate they had placed in the centre of the table. Clint, Steve and Sam all were looking at Bruce and Natasha with frowns of confusion, waiting for the two to explain themselves.

"Okay so wait, why was Tony invited?" Clint finally broke the sudden silence, looking back and forth between Bruce and Natasha.

"He was with Bruce when I went to invite Bruce." Natasha replied and Bruce rolled his eyes at the other. "He looked like he needed it."

Sam chuckled, "yeah and he's probably off getting ready for some party right now instead of coming here."

"Oh shut up Sam." Bruce snapped with a glare and everyone except Natasha looked taken back from the unexpected bitterness from their friend.

"He didn't come because his dad needed him." Natasha then spoke breaking the tension. That's when Coulson entered, back from working at the school.

"Who didn't come?" He asked, casually stealing one of their cookies. "I didn't know you guys even had any other friends!"

"Tony Stark." Clint said in slight disgust. Steve, who sat beside him, just looked lost as he didn't know anything about Howard's son.

Coulson nodded, "nice kid."

"Nice?! Ha! The asshole made fun of me being deaf last year." Clint replied looking at Bruce when saying this, "I'm sorry but from all the times I've encountered Tony Stark, I am confident to say that he is a total jerk. Arrogant, rude, spoilt, little rich kid who thinks he's too good to talk to anyone who isn't popular, famous or rich."

Bruce stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loud and harsh against the floor beneath. He was breathing harshly and glaring at Clint. "I've got to go." He basically growled before stalking off and exiting the house. Coulson sighed and sat in Bruce's now empty seat. "Now Clint, did you say anything before Tony made fun of you being deaf? Anything that could've provoked it"

Clint went to defend himself but then shut his mouth and sat back with guilt written all over his face. Coulson chuckled, "So you were both in the wrong."

"Yeah but it still doesn't change the fact that Tony Stark is an asshole." Clint grumbled as he snatched a cookie. Coulson sighed at the boy he saw as though his son before smiling a sad smile.

"I thought you of all people would know not to judge a person before getting to know them, Clint." Coulson said softly as he stood up, "I'm going to go finish some paper work; I'll be in the lounge room if you need me." He then told them with a smile, leaving them in their thoughts about Tony.

Natasha looked as though in interest and wonder and Steve looked pained as he struggled to figure out how to feel about the Stark boy. Clint and Sam just looked highly confused, with deep frowns and all.

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As soon as Tony got home he was instantly called into his dad's office. Rolling his eyes he gave his butler, Jarvis, a kicked puppy look before he slugged over towards the man's office. Reaching the door he hesitated while fixing a bored expression upon his face. Slowly opening the heavy wooden door, he entered.

"You called?" He smirked, shuffling to the middle of the room, arms crossed with a blank stare at his father.

Howard, sitting behind his desk, didn't make any reaction and continued on with his writing. It was as though Tony was invisible as he stood awkwardly in front of his father. After a few long moments of silence, Howard finally spoke. "Sit." He demanded simply, gesturing to the leather chair in front of his heavy, expensive desk, without looking up at all.

Tony tried not to show any signs of dread as he made his way to the massive, degrading chair.

"Do you know why you are here Anthony?" Howard stared right into Tony's eyes as if he could see right through him.

Tony shifted uncomfortably in the chair, "No."

"No ideas at all?" The stern man interrogated the boy some more.

Tony stayed silent as he tried his best to keep eye contact with his dad, he didn't want to look like a coward in front of him. Howard crossed his arms as he looked over the boy in front of him, as if examining him.

"I got a call from your school councillor." The man spoke, continuing to stare sternly at his son. Tony tensed and let his eyes wonder off for a bit in thought. Howard noticed this.

"Is it your goal in life to make me look like a terrible parent?" The older Stark growled, not holding back his fake coolness any longer. "How many times do I have to tell you, Anthony, that I have a reputation to keep!?"

Tony started to curl into himself, remembering the last argument they had on the topic and how it ended.

"Oh imagine the paper articles! ' _Howard Stark and his coward son'_! ' _Genius doesn't know how to raise his son.'_ Anthony, I need you to stop being a princess and bringing attention to yourself!"

"Okay." Tony mumbled out, fiddling with his hands on his lap.

"You're a common face in the media, Anthony. You can't go around recklessly, there are eyes everywhere looking for new information to broadcast to the world about the Starks. You can't go around looking like a whiney little girl, you hear me? It's not good for our image, especially mine. You embarrass me."

Howard sighed at the silence from his son and rolled his eyes, "I don't want any more phone calls. Get out." He said, flicking his hand as sign for Tony to leave. Tony didn't say a word as he made his way out; he was just relieved that it hadn't ended like last time the school phoned. He didn't think he could get away with another bruise without Mr Coulson noticing.

As soon as he was out of the suffocating, office Tony let the anger he felt within, flow out. He hated his life, hated the fame, and hated his last name. He ignored Jarvis' concerned look as he stormed down the hall and up the stairs, grabbing his bag he had dropped when he had arrived home along the way. Tony grumbled words filled with curses as he raged down the hallway that led to his room.

Just as he reached his bedroom door, he froze halfway into turning the door knob when he heard the sound of someone taking in a watery breath, the sound someone makes when they had been crying too much. Turning sharply to the right he looked to the open door of the bathroom deeper down the hallway and saw his mum. Her mascara smudged from fat tears and her nose running, she made no move to wipe it all away. Maria Stark was shaking terribly, as she held a needle to her inner arm. Tony accidentally made a sound as he felt himself feel faint, tilting into his wooden door. The thud sound coming from the boy reached Maria's ears as she stopped what she was doing and lifted her bloodshot eyes up towards the boy in shock. Quickly she staggered up and slammed the bathroom door shut, blocking Tony from the horrific sight. Letting out a shaky breath and ignoring the sobs coming from the bathroom and the airy feeling in his head and stomach, Tony finally made it into his room. Throwing his bag to the side, he flung himself onto his bed and grabbed his pillow. Pulling the pillow over his face he let out a muffled scream, letting out all the hurt he felt in his heart and all the stress that circled his head.

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 **Tell me what yu thinnkkk! hope you liked it! review :)**

 **thankyouuu!**

 **~Sophie-Jo~ xooxo**


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